Now, when an owner of patented land or a prospective purchaser of trust patent Indian land desires to resume farming operations on these areas that were formerly in cultivation, they are faced with the payment in a lump sum of all accumulated assessments before water can be delivered.

Much improvement work has just recently been done on the project, and further work is contemplated in the immediate future, which will make it possible for the project to definitely assure water users of an adequate supply of irrigation water for all the area that was formerly irrigated.

During the spring of 1930 there was evidenced considerable activity among landowners in an effort to resume the farming of some parts of the abandoned tracts and there were also a number of parties inquiring about the purchase of trust Indian lands. When these parties, both owners and prospective purchasers, learned of the accumulated assessments which, under the regulations, must be paid before water could be delivered the result was that this proposed resumption of farming activity fell through.

The project is therefore required to operate and maintain the entire system to supply the lands on which the charges are paid and there is ample water and ample constructed works to properly care for a much larger area which can not use water because of these accumulations of past assessments. At the same time the collections being made are inadequate to meet the actual costs of operation and maintenance and it is necessary to immediately remedy this situation by making it possible for more of these formerly farmed tracts. to receive water.

During the season of 1929 there was a total of 14,230 acres of irrigable land being used and approximately the same acreage during 1930. In 1929 a total of 5,624 acres were irrigated and all the remainder of the 14,230 acres were either farmed without irrigation or were summer fallowed. During 1930 a total area of slightly more than 6,000 acres was actually irrigated.

During 1929 there were 66 individual farmers operating irrigated land, 10 of these being Indians and the remainder whites. Approximately the same number were engaged in irrigation farming during the season 1930. It will be understood that there are practically no delinquent assessments against white owners who are using irrigation water, and the principal amount of the accumulated unpaid assessments are against lands formerly farmed but which have either been idle for several years or are now being farmed without irrigation. At the present time the unpaid accumulated operation and maintenance assessments against white-owned lands amounts to approximately $21,000. There are also accumulated assessments unpaid on account of construction-cost assessments amounting to about $17,000. The accumulated unpaid operation and maintenance assessments against trust Indian lands amounts to approximately $45,000, and the accumulated unpaid construction assessments against trust patent lands is about $52,700. To date there have been collected on the Blackfeet project $84,693 of operation and maintenance assessments and a total of $26,292 of construction assessments.

A means of receiving water deliveries without the immediate payment of all the accumulated assessments is most urgently needed, as otherwise it will be impossible for the owners of the land to secure

any benefits from the available irrigation system. The proposed legislation will benefit Indians as well as white owners. A large quantity of the Indian land is available for sale, and there are accumulated unpaid assessments against much of this land which was formerly leased and farmed in large blocks. When a sale is made the purchaser is now required to pay in cash the accumulated assessments before water can be delivered, and this requirement makes it practically impossible to get this land in the hands of irrigation farmers.

The legislation proposed does not contemplate any write-off of charges but simply a spreading of the accumulated charges in such a way that they can be met by the owners of the land.

This bill has the approval of the Indian Office, as represented by officials of the department testifying before your committee.

O

TO AMEND THE ACT ENTITLED "AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSTRUCTION AND PROCUREMENT OF AIRCRAFT AND AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT IN THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS, AND TO ADJUST AND DEFINE THE STATUS OF THE OPERATING PERSONNEL IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," APPROVED JUNE 24, 1926, WITH REFERENCE TO THE NUMBER OF ENLISTED PILOTS IN THE NAVY

JANUARY 31, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. BRITTEN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 16588]

The Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 16588) to amend the act entitled "An act to authorize the construction and procurement of aircraft and aircraft equipment in the Navy and Marine Corps, and to adjust and define the status of the operating personnel in connection therewith," approved June 24, 1926, with reference to the number of enlisted pilots in the Navy, having had the same under consideration, report favorably thereon without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill do pass.

In compliance with clause 2a of Rule XIII there is herewith printed paragraph 8 of section 3 of the act of June 24, 1926 (44 Stat. L. 767; U. S. C., Supp. III, title 34, sec. 735), sought to be amended, the language sought to be repealed appearing in brackets and the amendatory language appearing in italics:

PAR. 8. On and after [July 1, 1928] July 1, 1931, and in time of peace, not less than 20 per centum of the total number of [enlisted] pilots employed in aviation tactical units of the Navy [shall not be less than 30 per centum of the total number of pilots employed in the Navy on aviation duty] and Marine Corps shall be enlisted men, except when the Secretary of the Navy shall determine that it is impracticable to secure that number of enlisted pilots.

The above amendment to paragraph 8 will place the Navy Department in the same position as to the control of the percentage of the enlisted pilots as now exists under law in the Army.

The minimum figure of 30 per cent of the total number of pilots employed in the Navy on aviation duty by existing law was based

upon experience gained prior to the enactment of the law mentioned above in 1926, which, however, was a somewhat limited experience in view of the small size and short period of existence of the Navy flying Since the enactment of this provision considerable study has been given to the proper proportion of enlisted pilots to officer pilots and the experience of three years' flying has been gained, with a gradually increasing air arm, and particularly with an enormous increase in flying from carriers at sea. As a result of this study and experience, the final proportion of the enlisted pilots can not now be definitely established even for the conditions of the moment. Furthermore, as the conditions of flying and the actual components of the Navy air squadrons vary with the rapid development of the flying art, it would appear unwise to fix for all time a definite proportion or even a minimum definite proportion for enlisted pilots.

The bill H. R. 16588 is proposed by the Navy Department, and the following letter from the Acting Secretary of the Navy, addressed to the chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives, clearly sets forth the recommendations of the department and is hereby made a part of this report:

The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, March 17, 1930.

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN. There is inclosed herewith a copy of a letter, together with a copy of a proposed bill "To amend the act entitled 'An act to authorize the construction and procurement of aircraft and aircraft equipment in the Navy and Marine Corps, and to adjust and define the status of the operating personnel in connection therewith,' approved June 24, 1926, with reference to the number of enlisted pilots in the Navy," this day forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Sincerely yours,

ERNEST LEE Jahncke,
The Acting Secretary of the Navy.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, March 17, 1930. Washington, D. C.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I have the honor to transmit herewith a draft of bill to amend the act entitled "An act to authorize the construction and procurement of aircraft and aircraft equipment in the Navy and Marine Corps, and to adjust and define the status of the operating personnel in connection therewith," approved June 24, 1926, with reference to the number of enlisted pilots in the Navy. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to amend the act of June 24, 1926, paragraph 8, section 3 (44 Stat. 767; U. S. C., Sup. III, title 34, sec. 735), so that the number of enlisted pilots in the Navy may be changed to such percentage of the total number of pilots employed in the Navy on aviation duty as the Secretary of the Navy may from time to time determine to be best adapted to the flight operations of the Navy.

The minimum figure of 30 per cent of the total number of pilots employed in the Navy on aviation duty fixed by the above-mentioned act was based upon experience gained prior to that time, which, however, was a somewhat limited experience in view of the small size and short period of existence of the Navy flying arm. Since the enactment of this provision, considerable study has been given to the proper proportion of enlisted pilots to officer pilots and the experience of three years' flying has been gained, with a gradually increasing air arm, and particularly with an enormous increase in flying from carriers at sea. As a result of this study and experience, the Navy Department believes that the final proportion of the enlisted pilots can not now be definitely established even for